After hearing @CharlieWisco, @RearAdBsBlog, @BarstoolJordie and @BarstoolChief talking about their favorite hockey video games on the 5 Minute Major podcast, it brought back some great memories of one my favorite jams. Yes, video game jams, nerd alert indeed. However, let thou who has never downloaded or pirated an MP3 from a video game they’ve been playing for a little too long cast the first stone. That’s right, everyone has at least one tune in their library they’ve heard from a video game. Here’s the ten best in my expert opinion. What qualifies me as an expert? I’ve owned a Gameboy, Genesis, N64, PS2, Xbox and Xbox 360. Here we go. – @SaintBrendan
10) “Song 2” – Blur from FIFA 98 The Road To The World Cup (Nintendo 64)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w0X1bSrUHs]
Mainstream jam? Sure maybe, but if you ever hear this song on the radio or in a movie, you think back to Nintendo’s awful attempt at a soccer video game.
9) “Was in Der Zeitung Steht” – DOCH from FIFA 2007 (Playstation 2)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orEPThnNDNc]
It’s hard to not to make this list entirely FIFA related songs, as it’s probably the best long running video game franchise when it comes to soundtracks. However being the greatest FIFA 2007 player of all time, this one has a soft place in my heart. The band, DOCH, is actually German Hip Hop band Fettes Brot who published under the other band name DOCH when they figured the hip hop audience wouldn’t appreciate the pop song they were touting. “Was in Der Zeitung Steht,” which is German, mean “What is in the newspaper,” is a banger that I would mercilessly sing after I beat anyone late night in college, slurring together the words incomprehensibly.
8) “Bodies” – Drowning Pool from NHL Hitz 20-03 (Playstation 2)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04F4xlWSFh0]
Got this suggestion from my buddy @Hahnnerr because I forgot this one, but just another video game synonymous with a song. Wasn’t a huge NHL Hitz guy, but this series also had drops from Moby and Rob Zombie. Basically trying to be the Blitz for the NHL but it never really took off.
7) “Dam” – Soundtrack from Goldeneye (Nintendo 64)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7dXoNUPE74]
In addition to being the best video game for Nintendo 64, Goldeneye had some Kevin Federline’s debut album “Playing With Fire” flames jams on it’s soundtrack. Most notably is this opening beat on the first level, which prompted so many people to try and make the “weeeeeee woowwwwwww, wowwwwww” synth guitar noise while shooting your Klobb. True life, when I used to do cardio this was on my playlist.
6) “Techno Syndrome (Mortal Kombat)” – The Immortals from Mortal Kombat (Various)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAwWPadFsOA]
Was never a huge Mortal Kombat guy but this could have easily been on the “Night At The Roxbury” soundtrack. This original beat spawned endless mixes but the opening drop immediately takes you back to being 8 years old, renting the game at Blockbuster, pounding Surges and fighting with your buddies till someone actually landed a punch then everyone had to go home.
5) “Saffron City” from Super Smash Brothers (Nintendo 64)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe59_kjNwFQ]
Aside from being the best arena in SSB, Saffron City’s soundtrack just sets the town that we are going to be jumping around with shit flying around at us. Most importantly as soon as the level starts, you’re bopping your head.
4) The entire soundtrack from Battletoads & Double Dragons: The Ultimate Team (Gameboy)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u625YlNe0l4]
When you have a love of Jean Claude Van Damme movies and Ninja Turtles then get this game, an unbelievable 8 bit soundtrack is the cherry on top. The actual scope of sounds that could come out of a Gameboy was very limited, so the fact they were able to come out with a Lionheart/Rumble in The Bronx knockoff soundtrack that worked is nothing short of a miracle.
3) “No Cigar” – Millencolin from Tony Hawk” Pro Skater 2 (Playstation 2)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zHtHzN0bp0]
I’ve bought this song on iTunes in the neighborhood of four to six times because I love it so much. From one of the greatest video games ever, I can’t even remember if you could change the soundtrack so I would restart the level each time just to get this track. Perfect two minute sprint from a band that I never heard of and would never hear from again but this is the epitome of a “video game famous” song.
2) “I Ran” – A Flock of Seagulls from Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Playstation 2)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj4pw56g4lk]
One of the first games where your buddies would be out of site for weeks out of time being sucked into this game. Well, when you’d shuffle the radio in the car it was to find this son so you could pretend you were Tony Montana or Miami Vice. To this day, I’ll play this song in my ’92 Volvo and pretend I have take down a dozen a Cuban gang members with my non-existant M-16 in the trunk as soon as I get out of the car.
1) “Intro/Menu” from NHL 96 (Sega Genesis)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqDAY185cUQ]
The Gold Standard. Puts you right into a hockey rink. They broke the mold when this one was produced. Maybe it was my age, maybe it’s because Mighty Ducks was hot in the street back then, but this is greatest music in a video game ever. Bar none.
